Tray and pan supporting rack

ABSTRACT

A rack including a frame and tray supporting members. The frame includes a top member spaced above and in registry with a base member, and four vertical posts respectively connected to the opposed corners of the base and top members; and wherein two of the posts have vertically oriented keyhole-shaped slots, and the other two have horizontally oriented keyhole-shaped slots. Each of the tray supporting members is an extrusion having a base provided with two rivets with enlarged free ends or heads. The rivets are spaced apart a lesser distance than the enlarged parts of the keyhole-shaped slots into which the rivet heads must be inserted to connect the member to two of the posts. As a result, to mount a member on the posts, the rivet which is to be inserted in a horizontally oriented slot must first be so inserted, then the member must be moved horizontally toward the post with vertically oriented slots before the other rivet can be inserted in the appropriate vertically oriented slot and moved downwardly. When mounted, the members cannot be sidewise or endwise moved without first upwardly lifting their ends which are associated with vertically oriented slots.

[15] 3,655,063 [451 Apr. 11,1972

[54] TRAY AND PAN SUPPORTING RACK ABSTRACT [72] Inventor:

Thomas J. Landry, Old Lyme, Conn.

A rack including a frame and tray supporting members. The frame includes a top member spaced above and in registry with a base member, and four vertical posts respectively connected to the opposed comers of the base and top members; and wherein two of the posts have vertically oriented keyholeshaped slots, and the other two have horizontally oriented keyhole-shaped slots. Each of the tray supporting members is an extrusion having a base provided with two rivets with enlarged free ends or heads. The rivets are spaced apart a lesser distance than the enlarged parts of the keyhole-shaped slots into which the rivet heads must be inserted to connect the member to twoof the posts. As a result. to mount a member on the posts, the rivet which is to be inserted in a horizontally oriented slot must first be so inserted, then the member must be moved horizontally toward the post with vertically oriented slots before the other rivet can be inserted in the appropriate vertically oriented slot and moved downwardly. When mounted, the members cannot be sidewise or endwise moved without first upwardly lifting their ends which are associated with vertically oriented slots.

13%5 S m m H M4 E u a :10 m T m m M mus I. A u. .n I. m 4 a P mmuu n ma/. S n mm m m is, m m m o w m n A m M 7 m m n mm m .1 H 2 mmm d D SGTR M mmr R W A A m mmm I 0544 I 0 U M llll 6 m N l 881. a m p u mmwm A F A UIF 3 2 l 218 6 %w%n 7 2 2 555 5 i i a .ll 3 3 Primary Examiner-Ramon S. Britts 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures Attomey-George W. Price and Donald P. Walker \W/RE RACK 0R PAN PATENTEDAPR 1 1 1972 SHEET 2 BF 2 //V VENTUR BYTHOMAS J. LA/VURY ATTORNEY TRAY AND PAN SUPPORTING RACK BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the food service industry, utility racks of the type which include a mobile frame provided with a plurality of receptacle supporting members are extensively used for storing and transporting receptacles such as trays or pans.

Most of the prior art utility racks are of unitary construction, i.e., the receptacle supporting members are fixedly connected to the frame or otherwise formed integrally with the frame so as to be a fixed part of the frame structure. As a consequence, the racks are difficult to clean and subject to becoming partially disabled due to one or more of the supporting members being bent or otherwise damaged through use. Although industry has been provided with racks having replaceable, removably mounted, pan or tray supporting members, the members are generally so simply mounted on the frame that they may be easily inadvertently removed.

To cure the above described problems, and augment the overall utility of the equipment, I have devised a rack which includes a frame with receptacle supporting members that are easily removable from the frame for cleaning or replacement while at the same time being mountable on the frame in a prescribed manner which substantially precludes them from being inadvertently removed. Further, my supporting members have a cross-sectional configuration which allows trays or pans of various sizes to be seated thereon and removed therefrom without undue frictional engagement with the supporting members.

My improved utility rack comprises a rectangularly-shaped base, a rectangularly-shaped top spaced above the base, opposed sides extending between the base and top and connected to them, and a plurality of receptacle supporting mem bers connectable to each of the sides so that each of the members is horizontally opposite another of the members, wherein the improvement comprises; a plurality of vertically oriented vertically spaced keyhole-shaped openings formed in each of the sides, a plurality of horizontally oriented vertically spaced keyhole-shaped openings formed in each of the sides, each of the horizontally oriented openings being horizontally spaced from and associated with one of the vertically oriented openings in the same side and horizontally spaced from one of the openings of each of the plurality of openings formed in the opposite side, each of the openings including a first portion communicating with a second portion, the first portion of each of the horizontally oriented openings being more remotely located than the second portion thereof from the longitudinally extending axis of the vertically oriented opening with which it is associated, each of the supporting members including an extrusion and a pair of spaced fingers extending from the extrusion, the fingers of each supporting member being less remotely located from one another than the first portions of each of the horizontally oriented openings are respectively located from the longitudinally extending axis of the openings with which they are respectively associated, and one of the finger members of each supporting member insertable in the first portion of one of the horizontally oriented openings and movable therefrom into the second portion communicating therewith to enable the other finger member to be inserted and moved in the opening associated therewith in the same side for connecting each supporting member to one of the sides.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical elevation of a utility rack according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmented section of a portion of the utility rack shown in FIG. 1, taken substantially along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, is an enlarged fragmented section of a portion of the utility rack shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4, is a top plan view of the portion of the utility rack shown in FIG. 3, taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in the FIGS., wherein like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, the preferred utility cart 10, is an upright rectangularlyshaped frame having a base 14, a top 15 which is spaced vertically above the base, and opposed sides, 16 and 18, that extend upwardly from the base to the top; and includes a plurality of horizontally oriented receptacle supporting members 50 which are removably connected to the sides.

The base of the frame is preferably a fiat, rectangularlyshaped piece of metal 20, having opposed front and rear skirt portions respectively numbered 22 and 24 in FIG. 2, and opposed side skirt portions respectively numbered 25 and 26 in FIG. 1. The base is provided with a plurality of castor-type rollers 30 that depend from the base to render the frame mobile. In practise, the rollers are connected to one of the four corners of the base by means well known in the art. Preferably, the top of the frame is spaced vertically above and in registry with the base as shown in FIG. 1, and includes an assembly of metal anglemembers of appropriate length which are connected to one another, by means well known in the art, so as to form a rectangularly-shaped structure having approximately the same external dimensions as the base 14.

As best shown in FIG. 2, each of the sides of the frame includes a pair of vertically oriented side members 40. Generally they are vertically oriented metal members which are spaced parallel to one another and connected to the top and bottom of the frame. Preferably they are metal channel members having their lower ends respectively connected to one of the four corners of the base of the frame, and their upper ends respectively connected to the comer of the top of the frame which is located immediately above and in registry with the corner to which the lower end is connected.

The side members 40 are respectively provided with a plurality of keyhole-shaped openings or slots 45, each of which includes a circularly-shaped portion 46 that overlaps one end of a rectangularly-shaped portion 47. Each of the slots in a given member lies in a horizontal plane passing through one of the slots in the other three members. Further, when viewed as a group of members 40, from either their upper or lower ends,

the set of four slots lying in a given horizontal plane passing through all of the members, are vertically spaced apart from each successive set of such slots the same distance.

As shown in FIG. 2, the slots in one of the side members of a given side of the frame have vertically oriented longitudinally extending axis, whereas those in other side member of the same side have horizontally oriented longitudinally extending axis. As a consequence, the circularly-shaped portions 46 of the horizontally oriented slots, are spaced a greater distance apart from either portion 46 or 47 of the vertically oriented slots, than the rectangularly-shaped portions 47 of the horizontally oriented slots are spaced apart therefrom. Otherwise stated, each of the sides of the frame 14 and 16, has a plurality of vertically-spaced, vertically oriented keyhole-shaped slots, which are each horizontally spaced from one of a plurality of vertically-spaced, horizontally oriented keyhole-shaped slots formed in the same side of the frame, but portions 46 of the horizontally oriented slots are more remotely located from the longitudinally extending axis of the vertically oriented slots than are portions 47 of the horizontally oriented slots.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, each of the receptacle supporting members 50 is an elongated aluminum extrusion 52 of irregular lateral cross-section, having a pair of finger member 54, preferably rivets, which extend from one of its sides. The rivets are spaced apart from one another for connecting each end of the extrusion to one of the side members of the frame. As best shown in FIGS. 4 each of the extrusions has a base leg portion 55, and first and second supporting leg portions, 56 and 57, which extend from one side of the base portion for supporting receptacles such as pans, trays or wire racks, or the like. The aforesaid rivets 54 extend from the other side of the base portion for mounting that side of the base portion against a side of the frame as shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1 the base leg portions 55 of the extrusions are vertically oriented and mounted flush against the uprights of the sides of the frame, whereas the first and second leg portions 56 and 57, extend horizontally from the base portions and inwardly of the frame. In the preferred embodiment each of the first leg portions 56 is stepped to form a first receptacle supporting ledge 56A, next to the side, and a second receptacle ledge 56B at a lower level than the first ledge, the second ledge terminating the free end of the leg portion 56; whereas the second leg portion 57 forms a third supporting ledge beneath the first ledge portion, at a lower level than the second ledge. A plurality of spaced parallel ridges 59 forming raised tracks on the upper surfaces of the first leg portions of each of the extrusions serve to reduce the frictional engagement of the pans and trays with the extrusions.

When mounted in place on the frame, the receptacle supporting members connected to the opposite sides of the frame so that each of the supporting members is located horizontally opposite another of the members. Accordingly, the leg portions of each of the members protrude inwardly of the frame and toward the leg portions of a like supporting member mounted on the other side of the frame, to form spaced parallel ledges for supporting pans by their lips and trays by their bases.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rivets on a given extrusion are displaced from one another a distance which is substantially equal to the distance between centers of portion 47 of a given horizontally oriented slot and the corresponding portion 47 of the next adjacent vertically oriented slot in the same side of the frame. The free ends of the rivets are enlarged to form circularly-shaped head portions 60 which are insertable in and through the circularly-shaped slot portions 46 but too large to be insertable in or through the slot portions 47. On the other hand, the stern portions 62 of the rivets are slidably movable within the slot portions 47. As a consequence, and since the portions 46 of the horizontally oriented slots are more remotely located from the longitudinally extending axis of the vertically oriented slots than are portions 47 of the horizontally oriented slots, the receptacle supporting members must be mounted in place on the sides of the frame via a particular procedure. Namely, the head of the rivet which is to be inserted in a horizontally oriented slot must first be so inserted in and through portion 46 of that slot, to allow stem of the rivet to be slidably moved within portion 47 of the slot. Having done so, the supporting member must then be moved toward the vertically oriented slot into which the rivet at the other end of the extrusion is to be inserted, to allow the head of that rivet to be inserted in and through portion 46 of that slot. Having done so, the stem of the latter rivet may then be slidably moved downwardly within portion 47 of the vertically oriented slot, to horizontally deploy the extrusion.

What is claimed is:

1. In a utility rack comprising a rectangularly-shaped base, a rectangularly-shaped top spaced above the base, opposed sides extending between the base and top and connected to them, and a plurality of receptacle supporting members connectable to each of the sides so that each of the members is horizontally opposite another of the members, the improvement comprising; a plurality of vertically oriented vertically spaced keyhole-shaped openings formed in each of the sides, a plurality of horizontally oriented vertically spaced keyholeshaped openings formed in each of the sides, each of the horizontally oriented openings being horizontally spaced from and associated with one of the vertically oriented openings in the same side and horizontally spaced from one of the openings of each of the plurality of openings formed in the opposite side, each of the openings including a first portion communicating with a second portion, the first portion of each of the horizontally oriented openings being more remotely located than the second portion thereof from the longitudinally extending axis of the vertically oriented opening with which it is associated, each of the supporting members including an extrusion and a pair of spaced fingers extending from the extrusion, the fingers of each supporting member being less remotely located from one another than the first portions of each of the horizontally oriented openings are respectively located from the longitudinally extending axis of the openings with which they are respectively associated, and one of the finger members of each supporting member insertable in the first portion of one of the horizontally oriented openings and movable therefrom into the second portion communicating therewith to enable the other finger member to be inserted and moved in the opening associated therewith in the same side for connecting each supporting member to one of the sides, wherein the extrusion of each of the supporting members includes a base portion from which the fingers extend and first and second leg portions, the first and second leg portions extending substantially perpendicular from the base portion, the first leg portion including a first receptacle supporting ledge and a second receptacle supporting ledge offset in the direction of the second leg from the first ledge, the second ledge'terminating the free end of the first leg portion, and the second leg portion forming a third receptacle supporting ledge spaced axially below the first and second ledges, the three receptacle supporting ledges extending in substantially parallel relationship to one another, and wherein the first and second ledges each have a ridge extending lengthwise thereof.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent NO. 3,655,063 I Dated April 11 1972 Thomas J. Landry Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby. corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet {73] "AMP; Incorporated" should read v [\MF Incorporated ""L Signed and sealedthis 7th day' of November 1972.

(SEAL) Attes't:

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK EDWARD M. FLETCHER,JR;

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer USCOMM-DC 60375-1 69 fi U.S4 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1969 O--356-33l,

FORM 1 0-1050 (10-69) 

1. In a utility rack comprising a rectangularly-shaped base, a rectangularly-shaped top spaced above the base, opposed sides extending between the base and top and connected to them, and a plurality of receptacle supporting members connectable to each of the sides so that each of the members is horizontally opposite another of the members, the improvement comprising; a plurality of vertically oriented vertically spaced keyhole-shaped openings formed in each of the sides, a plurality of horizontally oriented vertically spaced keyhole-shaped openings formed in each of the sides, each of the horizontally oriented openings being horizontally spaced from and associated with one of the vertically oriented openings in the same side and horizontally spaced from one of the openings of each of the plurality of openings formed in the opposite side, each of the openings including a first portion communicating with a second portion, the first portion of each of the horizontally oriented openings being more remotely located than the second portion thereof from the longitudinally extending axis of the vertically oriented opening with which it is associated, each of the supporting members including an extrusion and a pair of spaced fingers extending from the extrusion, the fingers of each supporting member being less remotely located from one another than the first portions of each of the horizontally oriented openings are respectively located from the longitudinally extending axis of the openings with which they are respectively associated, and one of the finger members of each supporting member insertable in the first portion of one of the horizontally oriented openings and movable therefrom into the second portion communicating therewith to enable the other finger member to be inserted and moved in the opening associated therewith in the same side for connecting each supporting member to one of the sides, wherein the extrusion of each of the supporting members includes a base portion from which the fingers extend and first and second leg portions, the first and second leg portions extending substantially perpendicular from the base portion, the first leg portion including a first receptacle supporting ledge and a second receptacle supporting ledge offset in the direction of the second leg from the first ledge, the second ledge terminating the free end of the first leg portion, and the second leg portion forming a third receptacle supporting ledge spaced axially below the first and second ledges, the three receptacle supporting ledges extending in substantially parallel relationship to one another, and wherein the first and second ledges each have a ridge extending lengthwise thereof. 